Copper Recycling and Economic Aspect
The British operator BT could gain over £2 billion from recycling copper extracted from the old telephone network as part of the transition to fully fiber-optic communication. BT's subsidiary Openreach, which is responsible for dismantling copper cables, has already extracted over 22,000 tons of copper since 2023. Previously, BT's copper reserves were estimated at around £1.5 billion, but rising prices could increase this value to over £2 billion, equivalent to about $2.7 billion.
Growing Demand for Copper
The growing demand for copper is driven by the development of data processing centers for artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and electrification of various industries. It is expected that global demand for copper will significantly increase over the next decade, making this metal one of the key materials of the modern economy, as noted by the company's sustainability leader Abby Chicken.
“Copper is becoming an important resource for new technologies and economic growth” - Abby Chicken
BT Openreach plans to connect 30 million households to the new fiber-optic network by the end of the decade. In the last financial year, the company extracted nearly 10,000 tons of copper, and since 2023, the total volume of extracted metal has exceeded 22,000 tons. In cooperation with the cable recycling company EMR, BT received a £99 million upfront payment for the copper extracted.
The rise in metal prices has led to an increase in cases of old telephone cables being stolen, so Openreach applies synthetic DNA markers and substances detectable by ultraviolet light to some of them.
The significance of this news lies in the fact that the transition to a fiber-optic network not only facilitates the modernization of communication infrastructure but also opens up new opportunities for generating income from recycling old materials. The high demand for copper, supported by the development of new technologies, could become an important aspect of BT's economic growth in the future. Moreover, the security measures implemented to prevent theft highlight the social challenges associated with this business.